From 'Jaane Tu..' to 'Katti Batti': Why it's not a very happy 32nd birthday for Imran Khan

Poor Imran Khan. With his career almost completely gone and no movies in hand, this can’t be a happy birthday for the actor who just 7 years ago made an engaging debut in Abbas Tyrewala’s Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na (Tyrewala’s career is another story for another day).

In no time, Imran was the new pinup boy and the new teenage heartthrob. Along with Ranbir Kapoor, Imran was seen as the hope for new-age cinema. Then things went wrong quickly. Wrong selection of roles hurdled Imran’s career towards an inevitable disaster. People from the industry were calling Imran a one-film wonder like Kumar Gaurav.

Right after his debut, Imran did Kidnap and Luck, and the two films wiped out the careers of their respective directors Sanjay (Dhoom) Gadhvi and Soham (Kaal) Shah.

Imran Khan. Image from IBN Live.

In his entire career, Imran has featured in two hits Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na and his maamu jaan’s notorious Delhi Belly (the latter was rejected by Imran’s rival and colleague Ranbir Kapoor, who told me he didn’t do it because he couldn’t imagine how he would watch it with his parents at the premiere). Imran has also had two semi-hits I Hate Luv Stories and Mere Brother Ki Dulhan.

The last three years have been especially cruel to Imran’s career, with Vishal Bhardwaj’s Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola, Milan Luthria’s Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobara , Gori Tere Pyar Mein and Katti Batti, each proving to be a bigger disaster than the previous. Katti Batti has in fact wiped out any shred of a comeback for Imran (though with showbiz, you can never tell who is in and who is out at which point of time.)

For now, this looks like a bleak birthday for Imran. Slowly he is being ousted from every film that he was supposed to be in. The latest project that Imran has lost is a Hindi remake of the Tamil hit Kalyaana Samayal Saadham. Imran has been informed on his birthday that he has been replaced by Kartik Aryan of Pyaar Ka Punchnaama fame. Ouch.

However, Happy Birthday, Imran. Maybe it's time to grow up? It’s a cruel world out there, and doing film about a guy who can’t get it up after his wedding may not have been the brightest of ideas at this juncture in your career when you have enough problems already.

Maybe Imran should stop depending on his uncle for career advice. Aamir not only edited Imran’s latest film Katti Batti, he also came out with tears streaming down his cheeks after watching it.